So You Think You Can Dance 8 (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. The show's eighth season premiered on May 26, 2011. It features the return of Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe as permanent judges and Cat Deeley as host. Also returning is the selection of a Top 20 for the finals, in contrast to season 7's Top 11. Contemporary dancer Melanie Moore won the season and Sasha Mallory was the runner-up. This is the first season where both the winner and runner-up were female. DialIdol covered only the last four weeks of this season.
Judging panel
Mary Murphy returned and replaced Mia Michaels as a permanent judge after being absent in season 7 due to contract disputes and to undergo surgery to remove a thyroid tumor. Adam Shankman's permanent judge spot"to which he was unable to return due to conflict with directing the film Rock of Ages"was filled with rotating guest judges Robin Antin, Lil' C, Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath, and Jason Gilkison.
Auditions
Open auditions for this season took place in the following five cities:
Air Date
Location
Audition Date
Judges
May 26, 2011
Paramount Theatre - Oakland, California (billed as San Francisco)
October 13, 2010
Nigel Lythgoe, Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath
Fox Theatre - Atlanta, Georgia
February 19, 2011
Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Lil' C
June 1, 2011
Brooklyn, New York
November 15, 2010
Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Jason Gilkison
Capitol Theater - Salt Lake City, Utah
February 2, 2011
Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Robin Antin
June 2, 2011
Orpheum Theatre - Los Angeles, California
March 12, 2011
Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Tyce Diorio
Las Vegas week
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Robin Antin, and Adam Shankman, who was replaced by Jason Gilkison on Day 2 due to a conflict with his schedule.
The Las Vegas callbacks, which started on April 8, 2011, were held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thirty-one dancers made it through to the final stage before the selection of the Top 20.
This season featured a combination of the Top 20 format from seasons 2-6 and the All-Star format from season 7. The finals began with a Top 20. When the show reached Top 10 week, contestants from previous seasons (the All-Stars) partnered current contestants in individual dance genres. Lythgoe has noted that although fans of the show complained about season 7's format and missed "the interconnection between people who had never been in competition before," "putting [contestants] with an All-Star lifted their game immensely," which informed his decision to combine the two formats and try to "have the best of both worlds." This season also marked the first time that the public was able to cast their votes by SMS or online, in addition to calling in, with a limit of 50 votes per viewer.
Top 20 Finalists
Male Contestants
Finalist
Age
Home Town
Dance Style
Elimination date
Placement
Marko Germar
22
Canoga Park, California
Lyrical Jazz
August 11, 2011
3rd Place
Tadd Gadduang
25
West Valley City, Utah
Breakdance
August 11, 2011
4th Place
Ricky Jaime
19
Miami, Florida
Contemporary
August 4, 2011
Top 6
Jess LeProtto
18
Little Falls, New Jersey
Broadway
July 28, 2011
Top 8
Mitchell Kelly
20
Atlanta, Georgia
Contemporary
July 21, 2011
Top 10
Alexander Fost
21
Alhambra, California
Ballet
July 14, 2011
Top 12
Chris Koehl
21
Garland, Texas
Hip Hop
July 7, 2011
Top 14
Robert Taylor, Jr.
31*
Brooklyn, New York
Hip Hop
June 30, 2011
Top 16
Wadi Jones
24
Ossining, New York
Breakdance
June 23, 2011
Top 20
Nick Young
19
Franklin, Wisconsin
Tap
June 23, 2011
Top 20
Robert was 30 at the time of application. His age on the website is 31 years old.
Female Contestants
Finalist
Age
Home Town
Dance Style
Elimination date
Placement
Melanie Moore
19
Marietta, Georgia
Contemporary
August 11, 2011
Winner
Sasha Mallory
23
Bakersfield, California
Contemporary / Jazz / African
August 11, 2011
Runner Up
Caitlynn Lawson
18
Moses Lake, Washington
Contemporary
August 4, 2011
Top 6
Jordan Casanova
19*
Chino Hills, California
Jazz
July 28, 2011
Top 8
Clarice Ordaz
19
Whittier, California
Jazz
July 21, 2011
Top 10
Ryan Ramirez
19
Morgan Hill, California
Contemporary
July 14, 2011
Top 12
Ashley Rich
22
Antioch, California
Contemporary
July 7, 2011
Top 14
Miranda Maleski
19
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Contemporary
June 30, 2011
Top 16
Iveta Lukosiute
30
Klaip?da, Lithuania
Ballroom
June 23, 2011
Top 20
Missy Morelli
20
Arvada, Colorado
Jazz
June 23, 2011
Top 20
Jordan turned 19 on June 15, 2011.
Elimination chart
Contestants are listed alphabetically by first name, then in reverse chronological order of elimination.
Legend
Female
Male
Bottom 3 couples
Bottom 4 contestants
Injury
Week:
6/16
6/23
6/30
7/7
7/14
7/21
7/28
8/4
8/11
Contestant
Result
Melanie Moore
Winner
Sasha Mallory
Btm 3
Runner-Up
Marko Germar
3rd Place
Tadd Gadduang
Btm 3
Btm 3
Btm 4
4th Place
Ricky Jaime
Btm 3
Btm 3
Btm 3
Btm 4
Elim
Caitlynn Lawson
Btm 3
Btm 3
Btm 4
Jess LeProtto
Btm 3
Elim
Jordan Casanova
Btm 3
Btm 3
Btm 4
Mitchell Kelly
Injury
Btm 3
Btm 3
Elim
Clarice Ordaz
Btm 3
Alexander Fost
Elim
Ryan Ramirez
Btm 3
Btm 3
Chris Koehl
Btm 3
Elim
Ashley Rich
Btm 3
Robert Taylor, Jr.
Btm 3
Elim
Miranda Maleski
Btm 3
Nick Young
Elim
Iveta Lukosiute
Wadi Jones
Missy Morelli
^ The judges elected not to eliminate anyone the first week. As a result, two couples were eliminated the following week.
^ Due to Mitchell Kelly having an elbow injury, he was barred from performing the routine. See below for more information.
Performance shows
Meet the Top 20 (June 9, 2011)
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Tyce Diorio, Lil' C, Robin Antin
Performances:
Dancers
Style
Music
Choreographer(s)
Ricky Jaime Miranda Maleski Sasha Mallory Melanie Moore
^ Due to a shoulder injury, Mitchell Kelly was barred from performing in his routine. He was replaced for the evening by season 7's Robert Roldan and was automatically in danger of going home.
Note: Now it's up to Top 10, they'll be voted individually by America. Also, new partners randomly picked whether they get a male or female and an All-Star pool.
Week 6 (July 21, 2011)
Group dance: "Act One: On Broadway" from Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs Of Leiber & Stoller (Broadway; Choreographer: Josh Bergasse)
Guest dancers: Daniil Simkni from The American Ballet Theater ("Les Bourgeois""Jacques Brel; Ballet)
As opposed to last season, there is no set group of All-Star dancers. Rather, All-Stars will be changing weekly based on availability. On the July 14, 2011 results show, Lythgoe announced that Season 7 contestant Alex Wong"forced to withdraw after tearing an Achilles tendon"was asked to be an All-Star for Top 10 week, but that Wong tore his other Achilles tendon at an audition the Saturday prior and thus would not be able to participate.